Blair - A harrowing story but good reminder for folks heading out into remote locales in winter (or any time, really). After Ken Knittle and I had a truly serious winter/spring thaw "experience" a few years back on icy Patrick Grade birding the Blue Mountains above Dayton (Columbia County), I resolved never to leave home again without having the Jeep better equipped in case of the unexpected.
In addition to first aid kit, rations/water, sleeping bag, spotlight, chains, separable shovel, sand, and replacing all 4 tires while they still have lots of tread, I went a bit overboard: Added the heaviest duty battery the Jeep could handle, the brightest legal headlights and loudest legal horn, 2 sets of bumper-mounted "deer sirens" that signal deer to stay clear (they really work!), a set of Herrington's unfolding "traction pads," a global satellite phone that charges when I drive, in-vehicle router so that I have computer connectivity (supposedly) everywhere, and a locator beacon for when all else fails.
Some of that gear was pretty expensive and still is since you have to sign up for continuing service but what I think of as an essential item that is not very costly and belongs on every adventurer is a personal locator beacon. You can get then from a lot of places on-line or in person (I got mine for a couple hundred bucks at REI) and every other year I am contacted by NOAA to make certain that my locator beacon is licensed (at no additional expense) and my emergency contact information is up to date. It's the choice of last resort but better than having none!
Tom Mansfield in Seattle (but itching to get to Adams County for the Dipper reported Sunday on McManamon Road...).

From: tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu [mailto:tweeters-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Blair Bernson
Sent: Monday, February 10, 2014 8:43 PM
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: [Tweeters] The Bad, The Ugly and the Good...A Cautionary Tale of a Snowy Visit to the Waterville Plateau and the Okanogan

I just returned from a two day trip to the Waterville Plateau and the Okanogan which I am calling "The Bad, The Ugly and the Good" with some advice thrown in.
The BAD was Sunday morning: There is now lots of snow on the Plateau and in the Okanogan region. Indeed it snowed quite a bit today and more may be on the way and there was so much snow on Sunday that only the main roads were passable which may account for the paucity of birds. I had only a very few Snow Buntings and MANY fewer Horned Larks compared to my previous experiences. Raptors were very scarce - only two Rough Legged Hawks, a single Golden Eagle and no owls (including no Long Eared Owls found at Lamoine Ravine). I also saw no Lapland Longspurs nor any Bohemian Waxwings. A distant view of 6 Gray Partridge near Withrow, and the only real highlight, two flushed Sharp Tailed Grouse at the Wells Unit (Foster Creek). (I ran into another group of birders who also had had a slow day although they had seen a VERY large flock of Snow Buntings on Cameron Lake Road).
Then the UGLY - really UGLY. Plans for Saturday afternoon were a thorough working of Cameron Lake Road and then up to Havillah and the various feeders looking for Okanogan Winter Specialties. Unfortunately I got a flat tire after Washburn Island. I was able to get by with some Tire Inflator Sealant that I carried injected into the tire and using the pump I carry that plugs into the lighter to reinflate. Tried various gas stations in Brewster for help and of course nobody today is really a garage, air is available if at all only at a price, and it being Sunday nobody was open anyhow. STILL - with the tire seemingly now usable I ventured off to Cameron Lake Road, a favorite. Sure enough, part way along, another flat in the other rear tire. (I have had one other flat in more than 40 years so this was truly bizarre especially as both tires were relatively new and high quality.) This time NO more sealant to inject and no cell coverage to call my theoretical roadside service company. I had no choice but to head off to Omak hoping to call for help somewhere along the way. I finally got coverage and was told it would be AT LEAST 6 hours before anyone could help. I trudged into Omak riding essentially on tire shreds and the rim for more than 10 miles. No garage or tire place was open until 8 the next morning (today) so I stayed at the Omak Inn and fretted and regretted not being able to get in the birding I wanted and possibly even undertaking this trip in the first place.
The GOOD was today. Les Schwab in Omak was fabulous. They had my tires in stock (I would need two.) They came to the Omak Inn (with it snowing pretty heavy) and put on my spare so that I could drive to their shop (gratis as it turned out.) They got me set with two great tires (yes an unexpected expense) and I was on the road before 10:00. A shout out to Jake who took care of everything and was exceptional. It was now snowing harder and I heard that it was snowing heavily on Stevens Pass and more was expected Tuesday. So my choice was to head home right away OR to still try to get in some birding - being wary now however of possible troubles in these quite remote areas. Being stubborn, I decided to give it a try and headed north to Conconully, another favorite spot. It snowed the entire way and Conconully had lots of snow. HOWEVER, the birding ended up being quite good, not so much at Conconully itself but along the way and along the Westside Road (accessed from the end of the Park). Lots of raptors including Goshawk, 3 and possibly 4 Golden Eagles, 2 Kestrels, several Red Tailed Hawks and at least 4 Harriers. Other nice birds were a Northern Shrike, many Mountain Chickadees, Pygmy and Red Breasted Nuthatches, lots of California Quail (in town) and two surprises: 2 Clark's Nutcrackers and a single White Headed Woodpecker.
I decided to head home via the Snowy Owl Spot on Hwy 2 and along the way had MANY more Horned Larks than yesterday and a single lark flock 30/40+ of Snow Buntings (on the Plateau) and a single similar sized flock of Bohemian Waxwings (just outside of Brewster). And where the Long Eared was a no-show (as were the Pygmy and Great Horned seen by others), the Snowy cooperated.
The drive back over Stevens Pass did indeed have lots of snow and a couple of really awful looking accidents, but was far better than expected. AND NO FLAT TIRES!!!
Some cautions: these are really remote areas and in the winter conditions, if something goes wrong, it could be very uncomfortable. I saw NOBODY on Cameron Lake Road on Sunday and only a single car going tow Conconully today. And cell service is not guaranteed. I had extra clothing, water and food but obviously, not enough tire sealants. It could have been a lot worse, but was definitely not fun. Take heed.


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Blair Bernson

Edmonds